Story of Jesus, December 8th

Luke Chapter 8

Jesus was traveling about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. He had his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

One day a large crowd had gathered from town after town and were listening to Jesus speak. Jesus told them this parable: A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

As he said these things, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that the scripture might be fulfilled:
‘When they look, they won’t really see.
When they hear, they won’t understand.’

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in time of testing they fall away. The seeds that fell among the thorns stand for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Then Jesus said, “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get near him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear God’s word and obey it.”

One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake and their boat was filling with water and they were in danger.

The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. The storm stopped and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he commands, even the winds and the water obey him!”

They arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. As Jesus stepped out of the boat onto land, he was met with a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but lived among the tombs.

When he saw Jesus he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”

Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.

Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the abyss.

A large herd of pigs was feeding nearby on the hillside, and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter into the pigs. Jesus gave them permission and the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs. Then the entire herd plunged down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened.

When they came to Jesus they saw the man who had been freed of the demons sitting at Jesus’ feet. They saw that the man was dressed and fully sane, and they were afraid. Those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed.

Then all the people of the region of Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.

The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went all over town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.

When Jesus returned to the shore the crowds welcomed him, because they were expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house. His only daughter, a girl about twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman was there in the crowd who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, but no one could heal her. She came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing up against you.”

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, I know that power has gone out from me.”

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

While he was still speaking to her, a messenger came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use bothering the teacher anymore.”

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

When they arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except for Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Stop weeping. She is not dead, she’s only asleep.”

They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!”

At that moment her spirit returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were amazed, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.